Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Art in recessionary times...

There are two sparkling young ladies in the art space that i like extending support to - Punita, who runs 'Hacienda' , and Priyashri Patodia who has set up a foundation that bears her name. Punita is a true bohemian who can be found serving masala chai to visitors at her gallery tucked into a narrow gully close to Lion's Gate at Fort. Her enthusiasm is highly infectious and I love her passion for plants ( I'm forever stealing hers). She is currently hosting a 'Postcards' show that is bound to find several takers. Never mind that Sunil Paudwal is selling his for 20,000. I've liked whatever I've seen, especially the charming postcards painted by young artists from Baroda. These are affordable and attractive, priced at a reasonable 5,000. Next up is 'Devis and Diyas' of Gujarat - a case of perfect timing, with Navratri round the corner. Over the years, I have bought some really great art from Punita - not big names, but big talents. Priyashri is also hosting a worthwhile auction this friday. It's offering works created by under- privileged (class 8 and 9 ) children from a government school. The effort deserves to be lauded and supported since these children rarely receive this kind of exposure and encouragement. The idea is to raise enough money to set up scholarships for deserving kids to pursue their dreams later. Priyashri is another bubbly, vivacious art promoter with a good eye and an even better heart. *******************************I just loved Arun Shourie's Humpty Dumpty comment. He is the master of repartee and it is great to see him back to his old feisty self - not sparing anybody and slicing through opponents effortlessly. We meet rarely since I avoid Delhi and I guess, he avoids Mumbai. But whenever we do run into each other, he invariably announces me as the person who got him sacked as the editor of the Indian Express!! We have a good laugh over this. But looking back at that candid interview with Shourie that I'd conducted for my magazine, I can see how it must have jolted his then boss, the indomitable Ramnath Goenka ( supreme maalik of the Express Group), into summarily dismissing his high profile editor. Woh din hi alag theh.... tum rahey na tum.... hum rahe na hum....

arun shourie - zindabad! BJP hai hai! BJP bashing is the new social and political mantra. it is not fair, shourie spouting english nursery rhymes when he knows his opponents can't retaliate in the same vein. intellect and gift of repartee are not the criteria to be a successful politician. i am reminded of an old qawwali where man's attributes are listed, "girgit ki tarah rang badalna, kowwey ki chalaki, karkey vaade bhool jana".and now jaswant's book is a big hit across the border. well, a saint is never worshipped in his own land, right? the entire book has one little chapter about jinnah and the people there are willing to pay 2000 rupees for he entire book! amazing behavior. and he is going across to distribute personally signed copies. what is he going to call his new party, with all these freshly expelled BJP members. BJP (J)?

Now Sudarshan has started singing praises of Jinnah. Jaswant is going to Pakistan. Now 26/11 will be forgotten and forgiven. Next what? Afzal will join the new pro Jinnah RSS and Qasab will be congratulated and lionised. Now we know that BJP with the help of RSS will sell the country just to come back to power. And Amar Singh is already fishing in troubled waters. The great Samajwadi Party is for all the anti forces. The left is with China and now the reinvented BJP RSS combine is with Pakistan. And there is nobody for India because RSS's hatred for Gandhi and Nehru made them blind and traitorous.

It feels great to comprehend that indian politicians started to castigate narrow and parochial political issues. But it would have been more better had Mr Shourie remains in a party and tried to give direction to the party. He could have worked as a becon for the BJP adherents.Ultimately every Indian political parties are infected with some sort of virues may be lethal or dismembered.Such a experienced venerated person Mr Shourie is one of the consumate intelectual asset of the nation and BJP must reckon over his expulsion.It is pertinent to put forth over here that for the imppecable rule of the law a potent opposition is inevitable.

BJP is a sinking ship and every rat wants to leave it. They enjoyed for 5 years without opening their lips. From a party of discipline, it has become a party of indiscipline. Why blame anybody for defeat? Instead of blamegame, they must move forward with a more progressive and secular agenda. they should leave behind partition politics and other history. They must look into future and get rid off that bania tag.

ths Art thing is interesting. it will definitely generate the necessary paisas for the cause. Nice to hear that someone is looking to help children especially in times when some god forsaken Aunty type actress beats up their child maids.

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@shourie thats so sweet to hear that he has the ability to not hold a grudge against you... Sonam Ki Bachhhi.. Suniyo?

Humpty and Dumty... Humping and dumping are the two mantras of some political organizations, yeh BJP toh gaya kaam se... on a serious note, good that the fanatics are in a path of self dismantlement.

And BJP cannot win muslim votes in India by vilifying Nehru and Gandhi. For that they must have taken action against Modi after gujarat riots. Even now, it is not too late to take stringent action against all the culprits of gujarat mayhem. Arun Shourie is a pseudo intellectual and repartee is not wisdom. Is he ready to speak against Modi? Praising Jinnah can never become equal to condemning the communal violence indulged by hindu cadres in gujarat and Kandhamal.

we are no longer "indian", so one state is going to have their Colossus at 1 cr per foot while in neighbouring states farmers are committing suicide due to nonpayment of debts under 5000 rupees, crops have failed. but that is not maharashtra's problem. it was also not uttar pradesh's problem either when the other states are hit by floods or drought. well, in times of floods and terrorism, people could , i suppose, shelter under this megastructure. so what if slums are being pulled down regularly? danny boyle hain na!

hey Mrs. De, i keep looking up he number of visitors ure blog gets and feeling really small and jealous in comparison.By the way, i am a writer based in Nagpur and when u had visited us last , i gave u a gift which said," u are something else"!By the way, it was a nasty comment on you by Sonam the new starlet.Keep writing, i enjoy what u spew out.By the way, my boss at a publication i worked for called u a dumb doll,can u imagine!i told him, he better watch out, u cud devour three men like him.Plz dont mind my silly comments,i still cant figure what gets ppl so worked up, a beautiful woman, or a bold woman who feels free to express herself!nite!

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